Immediate action needed to support laid off Cameco workers

November 08, 2017

Sask. Party must immediately move to help the more than 800 workers affected by shut-down

In response to the announced suspension of operations atCameco McArthur River mining and Key Lake milling operations the Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the Sask. Party government to take immediate action to support the families of the more than 800 workers who have lost their jobs as well and the hundreds more and entire communities that will feel the impact of this shutdown.

“This is terrible news for Northern Saskatchewan. Losing another 800 jobs is devastating to a region that has already lost too many,” said Saskatchewan NDP Leader Nicole Sarauer. “The Sask. Party must stop cutting and starting investing in diversifying our economy, attracting new investment, and nurturing local ideas.”

According to the Saskatchewan Labour Force Statistics released last week there were already 2200 fewer jobs this year than last in Northern Saskatchewan. This shutdown will make the situation even worse and affect more than the 845 workers who are directly losing their jobs as businesses in the area are forced to deal with the loss of customers and the drop in business.

“My heart is with the 845 families who, all of a sudden, don’t know where their next paycheque will come from,” said Saskatchewan NDP Critic for Northern Saskatchewan Doyle Vermette. “We need the government to stop ignoring the North, start investing in our people and in our communities, and work with us to build a stronger economy with more reliable and family-supporting jobs.”

“We need the government to act - and we will work with them - to support the families and communities and do all they can to help Cameco reopen and get these workers back on the job as soon as possible,” said Buckley Belanger, the NDP MLA for Athabasca.